


No More Guilty

by flibbertygigget



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Afterlife, Canonical Character Death, Forgiveness, Gen, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 17:44:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14430828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flibbertygigget/pseuds/flibbertygigget
Summary: Severus is met in the afterlife by an unexpected soul.





	No More Guilty

Severus forces his eyes open. For a moment he expects to see the dirty wooden walls of the Shrieking Shack, and he’s almost disappointed to see nothing but pure white. He reaches for his neck, but there’s nothing there. No wound, no pain, not even another scar.

“Who are you, Severus Snape?”

The voice is soft, distant, and horribly familiar. He turns his head, but the whiteness stretches out as far as he can see. He blinks, and then he sees the speaker. He isn’t surprised, not after hearing _that_ voice, but he is disappointed. He had always imagined an afterlife free of those he hated.

“What are you doing here?” he snaps. The speaker comes closer, hands stuffed casually in the pockets of his robe.

“I could ask the same of you,” James Potter says. “After all, I hardly expected you, of all people, to wind up here.” He grins. “Of course, that was a long time ago.”

“Sixteen years,” Severus says. Potter cocks his head.

“Yes, you never stopped counting, did you? Not that the world allowed you to forget, but they didn’t demand an account of that passing time down to the day.”

“Is there a purpose to this, or have you just been sent here to torment me?”

“Well, I won’t deny that the notion’s tempting.” Potter’s grin fades. “Well, no. I will deny that. You deserve better than me for your divine punishment.”

“Oh, just get on with it, Potter.” Severus struggles until he’s sitting up. “I must say, this is a particularly irritating version of hell. I’d hoped for a little more fire and a little less… this.”

“This isn’t hell, Severus.” Only years of restraining himself in front of the Dark Lord keeps Severus from flinching.

“Don’t call me that. You don’t have the right.”

“What makes you think this is retribution?” Potter isn’t mocking him. Whatever he’s doing, he looks incredibly earnest and incredibly young. “Who are you, Severus Snape?”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Snape says. “I’m a Death Eater. I’ve tortured. I’ve killed. I was the one who gave the prophecy to the Dark Lord, you know. I killed you, more or less.” It’s easy to spit out a list of his crimes. He’d kept silent out of necessity, because it was better to keep certain secrets to better spy on the Dark Lord. He had never wanted to hide his guilt.

“Yes, you were a Death Eater,” Potter says, “but that is not who you are.”

“Stop mocking me.”

“You risked your life to warn Dumbledore about the prophecy. You walked into the lion’s den, not just once but many times. You saved your students from every physical danger imaginable.” Potter pauses. “You saved my son.”

“I did it for Lily. I was selfish-“

“Were you? Love isn’t selfish, Severus.”

“What else would you call it?”

“Brave? Righteous? Maybe even heroic?”

“Maybe I was wrong. Maybe this is _your_ hell.” Potter laughs, actually laughs, so high and pure and clear that it can’t be a trick. Severus just stares at him, disbelieving.

“Being a hero isn’t just about running at evil with a wand in hand. I would’ve though that you, of all people, would know that.”

“And I would’ve though you, of all people, wouldn’t.”

“I deserve that, I suppose,” Potter says. “The truth is, Severus, I don’t know quite who you are. Your best act was to play the part of a willing accomplice to the devil. You’re cruel and petty and self-sacrificing and kind. You’re a member of the Order and you’re a Death Eater.” Potter pauses, and Severus nods tightly. “What, no denial? No protestations or excuses?”

“I can’t pretend I’m not the man I was before,” Severus says. Potter sighs and rolls his eyes.

“Guess we have to do this the hard way,” he mutters. “Look, Severus, who do you think I am?”

“You?” Severus says, surprised. “You – You’re James Potter. Rich, spoiled, and an outrageous bully.” He swallows, and then continues reluctantly. “You did grow up a bit, I suppose. You were, at least according to Black, a good husband and father. You joined the Order from the start, which is more than I can say. And you were willing to die for them.”

“I’ve done a lot of growing up here, Severus. I’ve spent a lot of time watching Harry, and that means a lot of time watching you. I know your measure.”

“Some would say you knew it from the start.”

“I really didn’t, but that’s not the point. The point is that I would have been wrong even if I had been right. I grew up, you said it yourself. And so did you.”

“That doesn’t erase the things I’ve done.”

“Severus, who does your soul belong to, Dumbledore or Voldemort?” Severus flinches at the Dark Lord’s name.

“It doesn’t matter. My soul – It’s damaged beyond repair.” Potter shakes his head, pressing on mercilessly.

“Look at your arm, Severus.” Severus pulls back the fabric of his sleeve angrily, wondering what the point is of showing the damn thing to Potter, of all people. When he sees just skin, pale and unblemished, he can only stare. “You are not Voldemort’s creature anymore.”

“I don’t understand,” Severus murmurs.

“You’re free. You struggled for almost half your life to free yourself of that mark, and you succeeded. You did enough. You’ve done enough.” The tears running down his face feel like they belong to a different man, an alien being. It just shouldn’t be possible for Severus Snape to exist in a world without the Dark Mark. It’s been a part of him for so long that he doesn’t know how else to live.

“Is-“ Severus clears his throat, cursing the stuffy way the tears make him sound. “Is there anyone else here, or are we doomed to annoy each other for all eternity?” Potter laughs again, and then he sticks out a hand, ready to help Severus to his feet.

“Come on,” he says. “Lily’s waiting for you.”


End file.
